Lighting attachment for alarm-clocks.



A. T. BRITT.

LIGHTING ATTACHMENT FOR ALARM CLOCKS.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 20, 1912.

1,084,603. Patented Jan. 20, 1914.

F r. A WITNESSES: INVENTOR 625m of 77% Ay/eff 7T Br/ff ATTORNEY COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 120., WASHINGTON, n, C

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AYLETT T. BRITT, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

LIGHTING ATTACHMENT FOR ALARM-CLOCKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 26, 1912.

Patented Jan. 20,1914.

Serial No. 733,677.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AYLE'rr T. Bnrr'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lighting Attachments for Alarm-Clocks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a lighting attachment for clocks, and has for its principal object to provide means for automatically illuminating the face of a clock simultaneously with the sounding of its alarm, so that the effect of the light may be added to that of the ordinary alarm in exerting an awakening influence on a sleeping person, and so that should the alarm fail to waken the sleeper, the light will inform him, when he does awaken, that he has missed the alarm, and that it is past the hour for which the alarm was set.

It is also an object of the invention to pro vide an attachment of this character which may be used independently of the clock mechanism or alarm, so that it may be used at any time irrespective of the time for which the alarm is set.

In accomplishing these objects, I have provided the improved details of structure hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure I is a front elevation of an alarm clock of any ordinary construction set in a suitable frame, upon which the lamp may be mounted. Fig. II is a rear view of same, part of the frame being removed to illustrate the clock and mounting. Fig. III is a side view with a part of the frame removed to illustrate the mounting of the clock and its attachments. Fig. IV is an enlarged detail perspective of the brush whereby a circuit is closed between the clock frame and flexible contact point. Fig. V is a circuit diagram.

Referring more in detail to the parts: 1 designates a frame of any suitable and preferably ornamental construction, and 2 an alarm clock which is mounted within the frame and has a face 3 located within or back of an aperture 4 in the front of frame 1. The clock 2 may be of any ordinary alarm type having the usual winding and setting keys and particularly the alarm winding key 5. Fixed within the frame, preferably on a base 6, is a standard 7 of non-conductive material and preferably pro vided with a vertical slot 8. Fixed at its lower end to the standard 7, preferably by screws 9, one of which may serve as a binding post, is a flexible contact member 10 which extends upwardly at the outer side of anal preferably covers a slot 8 in said standar Pivotally mounted on the back of the clock 2 is a brush lever 11, one arm of which extends into the path of and has a lip 12 adapted for engagement by the alarm winding key 5; the other arm of said lever being projected past the side of the clock frame 1 and adapted for contacting the flexible brush 10 through the standard slot 8, the last named arm being preferably provided with a lip 13 whereby the lever may be manipulated by hand to turn the light on or off irrespective of the alarm.

The frame 1 is provided with a chamber let within which a battery 15 is carried; the poles of the battery being connected respectively with the standard binding post 9, through a wire 16, and with one pole of a lamp 17 which is carried by and projected forwardly from the clock frame 1, so that it may illuminate the clock face. The second pole of the lamp has a wire 18 extending to and grounded on the clock frame.

In using the device, presuming the parts to be constructed and assembled as described, and the alarm wound up and set for a certain hour, when the hour is reached and the alarm becomes active, the winding key 5 revolves and engages the lip 12 of the brush lever, rocking the latter on its pivot so that the long arm of the lever is projected through the standard slot into contact with the flexible brush. As soon as such contact is made a circuit is closed through the lamp because of its connection with the battery through the direct wire and through the grounded connect-ion with the clock frame and flexible contact member, thereby illuminating the lamp, so that a person aroused by the alarm may see the clock face without other illumination.

The brush lever and contact member are so arranged that the circuit will remain closed until the brush is manually removed from its contact with the flexible member but irrespective of the further action or inaction of the alarm, and so that a person may move the brush over and past the flexible member to extinguish the light irrespective of the position of the alarm winding key.

It is apparent that the brush lever, being pivotally mounted independently of the alarm mechanism, may be turned into en gagement with the contact member whenever a light is desired, and may, when the light is to be extinguished, be turned back to position for operation by the alarm mechanism.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is:

1. The combination with a clock having an alarm mechanism, of a battery, an indicator connected with the battery and having grounded connection with the clock, a nonconductive standard, a flexible contact member carried by the standard and connected with the battery, and a pivotal brush having an arm projected into the path of a moving part of the alarm mechanism and adapted for engagement with the flexible contact member.

2. The combination with a clock having an alarm mechanism, of a battery, a lamp conneeted with the battery and having grounded connection with the clock, a non-conductive slotted standard connected with the battery, a flexible contact member having one end fixed to the standard and having a body portion overlying the standard slot, a brush lever pivotally mounted on the clock and having a laterally turned lip projected into the path of a. moving partof the alarm mechanism, and having a second arm adapted for projection through the standard slot into engagement with the flexible contact member.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AYLETT T. BRITT.

.Vitnesses LEwIs L. MILLER, LETA E. COATS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! Patent, Washington, D. G. 

